Over time, vacations have proven to be a sure way to unwind and release stress, and one of the best places to visit remains Wesley Chapel. Find out just the things to do in Wesley Chapel during your visit here.
Sunny and luxurious, Wesley Chapel, Florida, is a hidden destination tucked away essentially for tourists.
Intended to be the largest and most populous town in Passo County, it remains an unregistered census-designated place.
However, this has not stopped Wesley Chapel from creating and maintaining many unique attractions and destinations for its entertainment.
From large lagoons with sparkling blue water to sprawling retail spaces, this side of Florida has a wide variety of places and activities to try.
So why not travel here for your next getaway? Take a look at the best things to do in Wesley Chapel:
Fun Things to Do in Wesley Chapel
1. Go Skating at AdventHealth Center Ice
Florida is known for its mild temperatures and sunny skies, so ice skating is probably the last thing on your mind when traveling to Wesley Chapel.
But thanks to technology, there is a place that is cold enough to keep a layer of ice on the floor, which is perfect for skating.
The AdventHealth Center Ice is a popular destination for those who want to experience winter activities in the middle of summer.
It’s the largest rink in the southeastern US, so you can expect plenty of things to do here.
In addition to skating, sports such as hockey, curling, and figure skating are also held here.
It also offers educational programs where you can learn the basics of skating, etc.
2. Practice Golf at Lexington Oaks Golf Club
At Lexington Oaks Golf Club, it doesn’t matter if you’re a pro or not; you’ll have a great time at Lexington Oaks Golf Club.
It is another world-class outdoor facility that reflects the lifestyle of the city’s residents, with well-maintained grounds, a challenging but well-planned playground layout, ponds and fountains that double as water hazards, and many other amenities.
On this 18-hole course, you are guaranteed an exceptional experience.
With its relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, and large menu, Omari’s Bar and Grill provides a pleasant dining experience for everyone.
So stop here before you start playing, or stay a while after you finish playing and enjoy the delicious food and cozy atmosphere.
3. Test Your Creative Skills at Pinot’s Palette
If you are an art lover, Pinot’s Palette is a place you will love to visit in Wesley Chapel.
The primary goal of Pinot’s Palette is to provide visitors with a fun and exciting painting session.
Pinot’s Palette is open to both beginners and experts under the guidance of experienced and professional local artists.
Pinot’s Palette offers educational art classes that will teach you everything you need to know about painting, testing, and mastering your skills to create your masterpiece.
It also hosts private events such as birthday parties, corporate parties, family reunions, etc.
Things to Do in Wesley Chapel at Night
1. Grab a Beer With Friends at Florida Avenue Brewing Co.
One fun way to explore a new city is to visit some of the best breweries and try some of their local brews.
Florida Avenue Brewing Co. is a family brewery in Wesley Chapel that always exceeds the expectations of many visitors.
It has a cozy and well-designed taproom with sixteen draft lines; there is a nice restaurant that serves wines, craft cocktails, and beers.
The drinks served are perfect for relaxing, playing beach games, golfing, and boating with friends and family.
Florida Avenue Brewing Co hosts various events, such as social events, corporate meetings, weddings, etc.
Florida Avenue Brewing Co showcases cultures and unique agricultural products in every sip thanks to their brews’ quality and specialty ingredients.
2. See a Movie at CinéBistro at Grove
For a wild movie experience at Wesley Chapel with your family and friends, grab a ticket at CinéBistro at Grove.
CinéBistro at Grove is a luxury cinema that offers the ultimate movie experience; it is well equipped with comfortable seats, a great sound system, a large flat-screen TV, and other necessary amenities to help you have a pleasant time.
The movie theater has a Dine-in that offers delicious food, including hamburgers, sandwiches, hot crispy sweet potato fries, popcorn, and more.
CinéBistro at Grove also offers a variety of tasty and indulgent drinks.
The staff are amazing and kind, offering great customer service; the theater is clean and very comfortable.
3. Chill Out With Friends at Joe Whiskey’s Sports Bar
Live in Wesley Chapel, where you can sit back, relax and chat with family and friends is Joe Whiskey Sports Bar.
Joe Whiskey Sports Bar offers a friendly and welcoming atmosphere to make everyone feel comfortable and relaxed.
The bar gives you a local feel and atmosphere with multiple TVs to watch many sports games, making it a popular spot for game lovers.
Joe Whiskey Sports Bar has great pool tables, golf games, darts, and great music; You can also participate in karaoke, which is usually fun.
The full-service bar offers many fine drinks, including ciders, sodas, blue lagoon, Tequila Sunrise, Horchata, and more.
Things to Do in Wesley Chapel For Couples
1. Spend Some Time at Saddlebrook Resort
This award-winning destination also serves as a golf and tennis practice facility.
This place has often graced lists of the best training facilities in the world for sports, as mentioned earlier.
Before achieving these prestigious accolades, the 480-acre property served as a resort where visitors could experience authentic Florida.
Therefore, the original owners tried to preserve the local natural scenery while incorporating modern equipment.
Join programs offered for both tennis and golf, no matter the age.
However, if you’re not the sporty type and just want to enjoy the best that Florida offers, you can try the spas, restaurants, and pools the resort offers.
2. See Animals at Hillsborough River State Park
Hillsborough River State Park, the 3,383-acre park, is home to a diverse array of animals, plants, and attractions, making it a popular destination for those in Tampa and the surrounding areas.
Here, you can explore more than seven miles of trails that wind through the park and take you to the large ponds, bridges, swaths of woods, and swamps typical of the state.
The rivers and streams are great for kayaking and canoeing and are especially ideal for those who want to see the park’s local alligator population.
These animals are Florida icons, and you will have plenty of opportunities to see and photograph these majestic creatures.
But remember, don’t go too close because their bite will put you in a very dangerous situation.
3. Stay the Weekend in Tampa
While in the Tampa Bay metro area, why not visit the bustling city of Tampa itself?
It’s only half an hour’s drive from Wesley Chapel, and plenty of sights, activities, and attractions await.
Plenty of beaches, golf courses, restaurants, and theme parks welcome everyone regardless of age or preference.
And with a community as warm as the weather, Tampa will make you feel at home.
Things to Do in Wesley Chapel For Kids
1. Let Them Go Swimming at Epperson Lagoon
Epperson Lagoon is this town’s crowning glory, a large water feature built as a retreat for the residents of Wesley Chapel.
The 7.5-acre attraction is the world’s first “man-made sparkling lagoon,” built in 2018 and filled with purified water.
The result is a water park with clear, crystal water that glows baby blue under the Florida sun. And with a large and spacious pool, there are so many things to do here.
You can go swimming or try water sports like paddle boarding, kayaking, and even small-boat sailing.
Many inflatable slides and tubes for kids make for a playful and fun pool experience when at the park.
Epperson Lagoon also offers an experience like no other, with food concessionaires, lawn games, and many other amenities for your enjoyment.
2. Take Them to McDonald’s
Dining at McDonald’s is one of the best things to do in Wesley Chapel, where you can enjoy delicious food that bursts your bubbles.
McDonald’s offers meals suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
McDonald’s also offers a comprehensive menu that includes spicy crispy chicken sandwiches, sausage burritos, bacon, egg and cheese carrots, sausage, egg and cheese carrots, fruit and maple oatmeal, burgers, and more.
McDonald’s also offers amazing desserts and shakes such as chocolate chip cookies, baked apple pie, hot fudge sundae, vanilla shake, and strawberry shake.
They offer delicious drinks, including lattes, coffee, tea, juices, smoothies, and a separate menu for the little ones.
McDonald’s consistently provides excellent food, desserts, and beverages to the public, we highly recommend them, and you won’t regret stopping by.
3. Visit McMicky’s Farm
Are you looking for activities for children in your area? If so, Here’s a look at some of the most significant benefits of outdoor activities for kids and why you should try to get your kids outside as often as possible.
Children grow at a fast pace. During childhood, the body develops, and bones and muscles develop rapidly, so exercise is vital as it promotes proper growth and development.
Providing your little ones with plenty of outdoor activities for kids is a great way to ensure they get the exercise they need.
Climbing, jumping, jumping, jumping, and running; there are so many ways for children to exercise and develop their muscles and bones when they are outside.
Indoor Activities to Do in Wesley Chapel For Adults
1. See a Movie at the Grove Theater at Wesley Chapel
The Grove Theater in Wesley Chapel is another great entertainment venue that offers relief from the humid Florida air.
It used to be the Cobb Theater but has now been renovated under new ownership to create a “cinema of the future.”
So, of course, the developers spared no expense in designing and building a new high-end device.
There are 12 theaters; in half of them, you can enjoy dining or take part in spin lessons.
However, if you want a more classic experience, other cinemas offer pure movie-watching options with comfortable chairs, accurate acoustics, and great viewing angles.
No matter your choice, you are guaranteed to have a great time watching the latest blockbusters.
2. Try to Get Out of the Mouse Trap Escape Room
If you enjoy the challenges of puzzles, clues, and suspenseful mysteries, then Mouse Trap Escape is the treat.
The escape room themed rooms here are perfect for friends and family, and you can try the Hostel, Octagon, Dungeon, and various other options depending on your mood.
You will have to work together, test your intuition and use your problem-solving skills to escape the locked room.
It’s an exciting experience where you will have to solve puzzles, find hidden clues and connect the dots to get out of the room.
3. Flex Your Muscles at Highland Axe Throwing
True to the fact, one of the beautiful things to do in Wesley Chapel with your traveling companions is to throw axes at Highland Ax Throwing.
Highland Ax Throwing is a fun indoor ax-throwing center that hosts leagues and friendly competitions.
It is available to rent for private events such as birthday parties, team-building parties, reunions, and much more.
Highland Ax Throwing is open Sunday 1-5 pm, Friday and Saturday 6-1 pm each week.
Romantic Things to Do in Wesley Chapel
1. Go Shopping at the Shoppes at New Tampa
This is one of the premier retail spaces here in Wesley Chapel.
With over 188,000 square feet of space, this shopping paradise has many stalls, restaurants, and galleries for everyone to visit.
Publix is an institution in Florida, and their supermarket here is stocked with everything you will need.
If you visit Pinot’s Palette, you can join an art class and test your skills in using different media while sipping glasses of alcoholic beverages.
Shoppes at New Tampa also has plenty of other restaurants and entertainment facilities.
With ample parking right in the center of the square, you’ll have an easy and comfortable stay here.
2. Visit Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary
For bird lovers, the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary is a place you should visit.
It serves as a rehabilitation center for birds, run by professionals who adore these winged creatures.
And as the name suggests, the birds at Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary are “exotic.”
You won’t usually find them in Florida’s forests and swamps, as most of them are rescued from the illegal pet trade.
From lively and friendly parrots to majestic macaws, there are more than 800 species in the aviary at any given time.
You are welcome to view and have some limited interactions with these birds.
You would be surprised how well-fed and clean these birds are compared to other animals in zoos across the country.
Unfortunately, none of these birds are available for adoption, as the sanctuary’s mission is to return or relocate these birds to habitats where they are free and happy.
3. Have Lunch at Grillsmith
No trip to this charming city is complete without trying some of the favorite local restaurants.
One of them is Grillsmith, considered a Wesley Chapel institution, serving refined and delicious food in a space that exudes nothing but luxury and comfort.
The menu consists of classic American dishes with twists and upgrades that enhance the flavor and texture of each meal.
At Grillsmith, you can enjoy fusion salads, delicate desserts, a large selection of quality wines, and grilled steaks cooked to perfection.
Book a table before you go, as the restaurant is often full due to its reputation.
Free Things to Do in Wesley Chapel
1. Visit the Wesley Chapel District Park
When you’re in a city as populous and wealthy as Wesley Chapel, you might think they have many parks to enjoy nature and the outdoors.
So it’s no surprise that the city only has one public park, which was only commissioned in early 2008.
It is a spacious facility with features and amenities suitable for the city’s residents’ lifestyle.
You’ll see many well-equipped and well-maintained attractions here: shaded gazebos, verdant grounds, first-class play structures, and courts.
There’s even a street hockey rink, something you won’t see in your average American public park.
Of course, you will find many routes ideal for cycling, jogging, and walking for those who like to keep fit.
2. Don’t Miss the Annual Event at the Shops at Wiregrass
Most residents of Wesley Chapel have more than enough to spend on their wants and needs, so you can expect there to be more than one retail center.
The open-air setting makes the Shops at Wiregrass different from those in New Tampa area.
All shops, restaurants, stalls, and entertainment facilities are ready to satisfy all your needs.
It’s also pedestrian-friendly, so you’ll always feel comfortable exploring the mall.
The annual events bring many people here, allowing residents to engage in community spirit and mingle with other locals and visitors.
Some events include the Symphony in Lights Holiday Extravaganza, Spring & Fall Fair, Artisan Street Market, and much more.
3. Take a Walk Around Lettuce Lake Park
Just south of Wesley Chapel is the wonderful Lettuce Lake Park, a more developed nature attraction for those who still want modern conveniences on their nature outings.
It’s just outside the Tampa city limits, so a lot of people come to this 240-acre park.
The most distinctive features of this destination are the promenades that pass through different biotopes.
Hike the trails to see freshwater wetlands, hardwood forests, cypress domes, and rivers that serve as home to many native plants and animals.
There are also picnic areas, observation decks, and a playground for the whole family.
Cheap Things to Do in Wesley Chapel
1. Appreciate Wildlife and Nature at Cypress Creek Flood Detention Area
At the northwest end of Wesley Chapel, you’ll find the Cypress Creek Scenic Floodplain, which is part of the larger Cypress Creek Reserve.
It is a quiet and underdeveloped attraction that serves as a perfect escape for those who want to escape the city noise.
With its beautiful wetlands, forests, clearings, and trails, this area offers plenty of opportunities for nature trips and wildlife encounters.
At the reserve, you’ll have a great time spotting wrens, herons, woodpeckers, owls, and the many other species that call this place home.
There are also a few campgrounds, but most people prefer backcountry camping to experience an independent outdoor excursion.
This means there are civic amenities, water, or electricity sources.
So if you’re looking for an authentic Florida outdoor experience, this is the place to go.
2. Go For a Massage at Ideal Massage
After all the stress and fun, your body next needs pampering; one sure way to do this in Wesley Chapel is to visit Ideal Massage.
Ideal Massage was founded in October 2009; it’s a family business that offers great service.
It consists of twelve rooms, including two for couples and more than thirty licensed massage therapists.
It is a wellness center that offers great relaxing and therapeutic massages and a safe, calm, and comfortable environment.
Ideal Massage also offers hot towel treatments, essential oils, and many other messages to choose from.
The therapists are polite and experienced in offering different messages to their visitors, making them feel like family, not strangers.
3. Grab a Meal at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is a neighborhood pub that, thanks to its comfortable and cheerful atmosphere, serves as a meeting place for many families and friends.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s serves dishes like grilled shrimp, rib sandwiches, Buffalo chicken salad, Swiss mushroom burger, lemon pepper, fried pickles, chicken wings, and more.
Offering a good selection of cold beers for premium satisfaction, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is open Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm, and Sunday from 12:00 to 22:00.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is an excellent pub where you can watch all the NFL games while enjoying food and cold drinks.
Cool Places to Visit in Wesley Chapel
1. Irish 31 Pub and Eatery
A visit to Irish 31 Pub and Eatery is one of the best things to do in Wesley Chapel with your companions for a fantastic dining experience.
The Irish 31 Pub and Eatery offers good food and a warm, lively, and friendly environment, ensuring visitors feel comfortable.
This is a typical Irish pub with an extensive menu including Irish 31 Fish & Chips, shepherd’s pie, fried pickles, black & blue burger, chicken pot pie bite, cheeseballs, warm bread pudding, pecan salmon, and many more.
Irish 31 Pub and Eatery offer an extensive collection of drinks such as Guinness, Irish 31 red, Freshwater 420 Extra Light, Crank Brewery Cycle IPA, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Blend, and several others.
They are open Tuesday to Thursday from 12:00 to 21:00, Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 23:00, and Sunday from 12:00 to 20:00.
Make sure you visit so you don’t miss out on delicious food, drinks, and live music.
2. Rice N Beans
If you plan to dine with family and friends in Wesley Chapel, Rice N Beans is the best option.
It is a locally owned and operated restaurant with an excellent menu that shows the passion and professionalism of the owner.
Every dish that is served embraces both culture and quality, including Chicharron De Pollo with Rice and Beans, Tres Leches Cake, Shrimp Mofongo with Salad, Shrimp Stuffed Plantain, Chillo Frito Con Mofongo, Cuban Sandwiches, and more.
Rice N Beans offers beverages to accompany meals, including house soda, Spanish soda, natural, coffee, and more.
3. Arroy Thai
If you’re craving delicious Thai food in Wesley Chapel, Arroy Thai is the restaurant you should visit.
Arroy Thai offers fresh dishes made with quality local ingredients that are healthy and ideal for family dining.
Some dishes are vegetable soup, chicken rice stew, fried rice, Pad Thai, green curry, mango and apple salads, fried banana, garlic, and black pepper.
Arroy Thai also offers delicious beverages such as Thai iced tea or coffee, unsweetened iced tea, soda products, and water.
Stop by for delicious traditional Thai food; definitely worth a stop.
Conclusion
Wesley Chapel is filled with natural attractions, parks, restaurants, boutiques, and galleries and is a great place for a vacation.
Wesley Chapel offers many opportunities to explore and get out, such as walking, hiking, biking, kayaking, and even fishing, suitable for family adventures.
Plan a trip today with family and friends with our guide of things to do in Wesley Chapel, and be sure to have an unforgettable experience.